; and as
one standing _in loco parentis_ to their yet uncontaminated associates,
he was bound to take his precautions. The return of the study key closed
the sermon.

"But what was the baser-side-of-imagination business?" said Beetle on
the stairs.

"I never knew such an ass as you are for justifyin' yourself," said
McTurk. "I hope I jolly well skinned your ankle. Why do you let yourself
be drawn by everybody?"

"Draws be blowed! I must have tickled him up in some way I didn't know
about. If I'd had a notion of that before, of course I could have rubbed
it in better. It's too late now. What a pity! 'Baser side.' What _was_
he drivin' at?"

"Never mind," said Stalky. "I knew we could make it a happy little
house. I said so, remember--but I swear I didn't think we'd do it so
soon."

"No," said Prout most firmly in Common-room. "I maintain that Gillett is
wrong. True, I let them return to their study."

"With your known views on cribbing, too?" purred little Hartopp. "What
an immoral compromise!"

"One moment," said the Reverend John. "I--we--all of us have exercised
an absolutely heart-breaking discretion for the last ten days. Now we
want to know. Confess--have you known a happy minute since--"

"As regards my house, I have not," said Prout. "But you are entirely
wrong in your estimate of those boys. In justice to the others--in
self-defence--"

"Ha! I said it would come to that," murmured the Reverend John.

"--I was forced to send them back. Their moral influence was
unspeakable--simply unspeakable."

And bit by bit he told his tale, beginning with Beetle's usury, and
ending with the house-prefects' appeal.

"Beetle in the _ro'le_ of Shylock is new to me," said King, with
twitching lips. "I heard rumors of it--"

"Before?" said Prout.

"No, after you had dealt with them; but I was careful not to inquire. I
never interfere with--"

"I myself," said Hartopp, "would cheerfully give him five shillings
if he could work out one simple sum in compound interest without three
gross errors."

"Why--why--why!" Mason, the mathematical master, stuttered, a fierce joy
on his face, "you've been had--precisely the same as me!"

"And so you held an inquiry?" Little Hartopp's voice drowned Mason's ere
Prout caught the import of the sentence.

"The boy himself hinted at the existence of a deal of it in the house,"
said Prout.

"He is past master in that line," said the chaplain. "But, as regards
the honor o